Sleeping-gar



. I 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 G. W. PEARSON.

SLEEPING OAR;

(No Model.)

Patented May 16, 1893..

jwenzr I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GARDNER W. PEARSON, OF LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS.

, SLEEPING-CAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 497,457, dated May 16, 1893. I Application iiled August 3, 1891. Serial No. 401,619. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GARDNER WHITMAN PEARSON, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Lowell, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented a newand useful Sleeping-Oar, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

The object of my invention is to economize space in sleeping cars by utilizing the space which the bed occupies at night, as a dressing-room and sitting room for travelers in the day-time, or Whenever the bed is not being used to sleep in; to provide ample room in which to dress and undress, and a well ventilated and sufiiciently large sleeping apartment. It also does away with the necessity of waiting in turn for the carporter to make up the bunks, as the bed may be made up at any time and turned back against the wall, there to remainuntil wanted.

' My invention consists in the combination of a revolving bed, with the back of a seat, and applied to railway cars, in such a manner that it may be used as a part of a seat in the day-time, and revolved at night in such a manner as to bring the bed into a horizontal position.

The apparatus is intended to be placed in a compartment, of the width of an ordinary car seat, and somewhat longer than the bed. These compartments are closed on the. two ends, and are formed on the one side by the wall of the car, and on the side next-the aisle are partially closed with paneling and lattice work (Z Z) as shown in Figures 1 and 2, and, on this side, are also provided with curtains, which run upon spring rollers (R R) at the top of the car, and which can be lowered to the ground, so as to completely shut 0% the interior of the compartment from the aisle of the car.

The mode of operation is as follows: When the occupant for the time being, gets ready posite the bed,when raised. When undressed, and ready to get into bed, he steps into the aisle, being still behind the curtains (G)which are flexible, and pulls the catch (K), which releases the bed, and he then gently lowers the bed to a horizontal position, where it rests firmly upon projecting lugs (e and 1). He then raisesthe bedclothes holder (H), which releases the bolts (n n) which hold the bed in the horizontal position; then climbs into the bed and goes to sleep.

Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4t, 5, 6 and 7 show the compartments from the side next the aisle and at'various sections. Fig. 1 shows it from the aisle'with the bed upright and with the seatsand backs in positionfor occupancyintheday-time. Fig. 3 shows the curtains drawn and the supplementary seat closed; this being as it will appear while the occupant is dressing and undressing. Fig. 2 shows the bed lowered, the curtains being shown as raised, to give a better view of the interior (otherwise it appears as it will at night). Fig. 4 shows the cross section to the right of the line U V. Fig. 5 shows the cross section to the left of the line L M. Fig. 6 shows the section to the right of the line 0 K. Fig. 7 shows the section to the left of the line Y Z. Fig. 8 shows Fig.2 withits differences from Fig. 1, the whole being enlarged and more of the details shown, while the partitions next the aisle and the apron u are taken away so as to show the details more clearly. Fig. 9 shows a section of the same at the lines Y Z,-though here the partitions and apron are shown in their proper places.

Figs. 10, 11 and 12 show the views of the box containing the bed mattress. Fig. 10 shows a View of the interior of the box when the mattress is removed. Fig. 11 is a side .View of the box and shows the catches and holders, lugs, 850., and Fig. 12 shows a top end section, at the left of the line J. T., with the holder (H) and the manner of its connection with the bolts (n n) which hold the bed down,

and also the projecting lugs which help sup port the weight of the bed.

The box (13) containing the mattress (or springs and mattress) is constructed (see Figs.

10, 11 and 12) of stifi boards about an inch or more in thickness, and reinforced on the inside by wooden molding (m) and on the outside by wooden strips (8) and at the pivotal line or center of revolution by a metal strip strip ('5, Figs. 8, 10 andll) which is formed into pivots or swivels (P) on' which the bed swings, and which rest in sockets (Q) firmly attached to the sides of the compartment. This box contains the mattress or springs and mattress with bed clothing, pillows, the. The mattress is firmly attached to the bottom or sides of the box bymeans of books and eyes, or in such other manner as will hold it firmly in place and prevent its falling out, when the bed is raised. The bed clothing and pillows are held in place by stout wire holders (H and D) which are pressed down by powerful springs and 'y) and one of which (D) (that at the bottom) rises automatically as the bed is lowered, by means of projections (a),which come in contact with rollers (11) attached to the end wall of the compartment; while the other (H) is intended to be raised by the occupants hands, after the bed is lowered, until it passes its dead center, when its spring (.20) holds it back against the wall and out of the sleeper (as shown in Figs. 2 and 8). Raising this holder also slackens cords (c c, Fig.

12) which pass over spools (d (I, Fig. 12), and this releases two bolts (n n, Figs. 9 and 12), allowing them to project beyond the sides of the box and under lugs (I, I, Fig. 9) which are firmly attached to the sides of the compartment and which may be surrounded by the cushioned arms of the seats (A A), thus holding the bed in place and preventing its tip ping up under any circumstances. Upon these lugs, together with the sockets (Q) rests the whole weight of the bed, when down; as lugs (e 6) project from the sides of the box, near the top, and rest upon the lugs (1,1), and the pivots (P P) rest on the sockets (Q Q). Therefore, these lugs, pivots and sockets support the whole weight of the bed and occupant, when the bed is lowered. These same lugs (e e) also, when it is raised,hold the bed away from the rear wall, as they then rest upon lugs (ff, Fig. 9) which are firmly attached to the sides of the compartment, near the top.

The bed is prevented from falling from its upright position by bolts (9 g, Figs. 10 and 11) which are placed on each side and are pressed forward by springs so as to come behind the lugs (ff) and are bent at the end in such a manner as to be self closing. These bolts are connected with arms on the ends of a shaft (71. h, Fig. 10) which extends through the box. One of these arms, (the one nearest the aisle) is continued out and curved so as to form a handle, (that is the catch K) by pulling which, the bolts may be released.

The side of the bed farthest from the aisle is extended upward (F) a few inches above the mattress, in order to prevent the bed clothing from slipping over and being caught between the bed and the side of the car.

The cushioned back of the seat (0) is at tached firmly to the back of the bed box, and is so formed and placed, as to give the largest amount of comfort attainable. When the bed is down it comes in to the space between the seat and the bed and is thus entirely out of the way.

A sufficient weight (W) is rigidly attached to the lower part of the bed to counter-balance the weight of the mattress and of the box above the pivotal points, and is disposed in such a way as to make the center of oscillation, or line between the pivots (P P), run as nearly as possible through the center of gravity of the movable mass. The whole body (bedand weights) is intended to be so balanced and weighted that it will require only a slight pull to revolve it. i

The seat (S) is an ordinary cushioned one, supported from the bottom, and so constructed and placed that it will not interfere with the free movement of the bed and its moving appendages. And it forms with the cushioned back (0) a complete and comfortable seat.

The supplementary seat (E E),which may I be dispensed with entirelyif desirable, swings on pivots (7c, Fig. 8) and is held in place by bolts (p, Fig. 8) which may be easily released, allowing it to drop back against the wall, so as to give more standing room in which to dress and undress.

The partitions of the compartment, nextto the aisle, at one end, conceal the bed when raised, and at the other end project a short distance to help conceal the interior. It is partly composed of lattice work (Z, Z, Figs. 1 and 2) to give ventilation to the bed, which may be made movable, in order to reach the interior.

The curtains (G G) run upon spring or selfacting rollers (R R) and overlap each other. They are provided with frogs and connecting cords (2 Fig. 3) to prevent their swinging and disclosing the interior, and with tassels (t t), which, when the curtains are raised, hang within easy reach of the hand.

A sort of apron or narrow portiere (it) hangs from the top of the car, to conceal the opening through which the curtains run.-

The sub partition (0*) which has also a narrow apron or fringe at the bottom, conceals the opening between the top of the bed and the top of the section.

The interior of the car may be ornamented in any artistic manner desirable, providing it does not interfere with the raising and lowering of the bed. The car must also be built in such a manner that the sides extend up perpendicularly to the height of the bed, when standing upright.

The curtains may be made of open work, near the top, to act as a sort of transom and to admit light to the interior.

What I claim for my invention is this:

1. In a compartment of a sleeping car, the combination of the bolts 9 9 having bent or beveled ends, placed on the sides of arevolving bed, and pressed forward by springs,with the shaft h 72., running through the bed from side to side, having the arms attached to said IIG bolts and the handle K, and with the lugs ff,

all substantially as described and for the pur-' pose specified.

2. The combination in a compartment of a sleeping car, of the stout wire framework D, attached to the revolving bed B, and pressed down thereon by the springs y y, and having projecting armsaa,with projections b b, from the wall of the compartment so placed that they come in contact with the arms when the bed is revolved, substantially 'as described.

3. The combination in a compartment of a sleeping car, of the stout wire framework H pivoted to raised supports attached to the revolving bed, B, with the spiral springs as x, which are so attached that they pull said framework downward, in whatever position it may be, with the bolts n n, and coi'ds c c, passing over the pulleys or wheels 01 d, and the lugs I I, all substantially as described and for the purposes specified.

4. The combination of long curtains forming part of the open side of a compartment in a sleeping car, with spring rollers placed at the top of the compartment which are long enough to have their ends project beyond each other, as described and for the purpose specified. v

5. The combination in a railway car of oblong compartments made partially of woodwork, with overlapping cloth curtains run-v ning upon spring rollers at the top of the compartment and forming a movable inclosure for one side of thecompartment as set forth and for the purposes specified.

6. The combination of a revolving bed with a compartment of a sleeping car, very little larger than the bed, with the overlapping curtains running upon spring rollers at the open side of the compartment all substantially as 

